


let me spell it out for you

by Stromesquad



Category: Hockey RPF
Genre: Fluff, M/M, cakes as communication, zach is a smart dude but he sure is oblivious
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-06
Updated: 2018-05-06
Packaged: 2019-05-03 06:56:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,606
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14563485
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Stromesquad/pseuds/Stromesquad
Summary: Mitch really, really likes Zach, like a lot. He has for a while, even when Zach was being a pain in the ass and turning on all the lights at 7:00 in the morning. Zach is cute and smart and funny. It’s a lot to handle under the best of circumstances but it’s next to impossible for Mitch right now.





	let me spell it out for you

**Author's Note:**

  * For [somehowunbroken](https://archiveofourown.org/users/somehowunbroken/gifts).
  * In response to a prompt by [somehowunbroken](https://archiveofourown.org/users/somehowunbroken/pseuds/somehowunbroken) in the [PuckingRare2018](https://archiveofourown.org/collections/PuckingRare2018) collection. 



> **Prompt:**
> 
>  
> 
> Mitch Marner/Zach Hyman (it wouldn't let me officially tag it, so I'm listing it here!)
> 
> Zach finds out that Mitch has a thing for a teammate, but it's all very vague. Zach resolves to swallow his feelings and help Mitch get with whoever it is, because as long as Mitch is happy, he can be happy, right?
> 
> (Meanwhile, Mitch wonders if he's going to have to get, like, a cake made with IT'S YOU, DUMBASS on it in icing or whatever.)

Mitch really, really likes Zach, like a lot. He has for a while, even when Zach was being a pain in the ass and turning on all the lights at 7:00 in the morning. Zach is cute and smart and funny. It’s a lot to handle under the best of circumstances but it’s next to impossible for Mitch right now. He’s a little drunk and knows he’s very obviously staring. Zach’s got his head thrown back, laughing at something Brownie just said and Mitch thinks he’s never seen anything more beautiful. He sighs heavily. 

 

“Earth to Mitch,” Auston says, suddenly snapping his fingers in Mitch’s face.

 

“What?” Mitch asks.

 

“Dude, I’ve been trying to get your attention for like five minutes. What are you even staring at?” Auston follows the line of Mitch’s eyes and says, “Oh. I get it.” 

 

“Ugh,” Mitch groans. “Am I being that obvious?” 

 

“Not unless you’re looking, and why would they be?”

 

“I guess. I just…” Mitch sighs again. “I just don’t want him to know.”

 

“Why not?” 

 

Mitch shrugs. 

 

“It’s not like he’s not into guys. He had the boyfriend he brought to the Halloween party last year.” 

 

“He’s way out of my league. He’s so smart and funny. I just…”

 

“Don’t sell yourself short, Mitchy.” Auston interrupts. “You’re a great guy. You deserve good things.” 

 

Mitch rolls his eyes. “Thanks, but you’re wrong.” 

 

Auston makes a vaguely frustrated noise but says, “Hey, wanna get out of here? We can head home, order pizza, and play Chel?” 

 

“Yeah. Let’s. Before someone else catches me staring.”

 

They head out together and grab a cab back to Auston’s place where they play Chel for all of an hour before Auston brings it up again.

 

“Really Mitchy, what do you have to lose by telling him?” 

 

“I don’t even know. Like, I get that we don’t hang out that much outside of team events but I want to. I just, what if I tell him and he laughs at me? How do I face him in the locker room after that?”

 

“First of all, Zach would never do that.”

 

“I know.” 

 

“Second of all, it’s not like he’s seeing anyone right now.”

 

“That we know of.”

 

“No, I heard him telling Willy how tragically he’s single he’s been since he and Halloween dude broke up like three weeks after the Halloween party.” 

 

“That doesn’t mean he’d…”

 

“Third of all,” Auston interrupts. “You would have no way of knowing if he’s into you or not without actually doing something about it.”

 

Mitch groans. “What do I even do?”

 

“Just ask him out.”

 

“Fine, I’ll ask him to hang out.”

 

“That’s not what I meant.” 

 

“Can we go back to playing video games now?” 

 

“Fine.” Auston turns the game back on and Mitch proceeds to kick his ass. He feels a bit better after that.

 

***

 

The next morning after practice, Willy slides over to Mitch as they walk to the parking garage and says, “You like someone on the team.” He’s just loud enough that the person closest to them, who happens to be Zach, can hear. Mitch wants to die a little. 

 

“Did Auston tell you? I’m going to fucking kill him.”

 

“He didn’t. I just know these things.”

 

“How?” 

 

“Can’t tell you. I just do. I know who it is. Don’t worry, I won’t tell him.” Willy runs a hand through his hair then winks. “I am going to help you.”

 

Mitch moans. “Please don’t.”

 

“Nope, I am going to help. We’re going out for lunch.” He takes Mitch by the arm and drags him to his car.

 

“Can’t I take my own…” 

 

“NOPE!” 

 

Great, now he is going to be trapped in a car with Willy and forced to talk about his feelings which is the absolute last thing he wants to do. He climbs into the passenger seat and braces himself for his fate. This is going to be a long afternoon. 

 

“So you like Zach,” Willy says, as he’s backing out of the space, wasting absolutely no time. 

 

Mitch heaves a sigh, “Yes. I like Zach.” 

 

“You should ask him out.”   
  


“Thanks, haven’t heard that advice before. Not doing that.”

 

“You need to at least hang out with him?” 

 

“We hang out.” Mitch says, indignantly.

 

“I mean not at team functions Mitch. Like one on one.” 

 

“We’ve like… never done that before outside of being roommates. Except like that one time where we met Shawn Mendes.” 

 

“Well you’re not roommates anymore so now you need to like actually hang out together.” 

 

“Fine, I’ll ask him to hang out. That’s all I’m promising.” That effectively ends the conversation. Willy takes Mitch to the good sushi place and pays for their lunch, like a good friend, as payment for the torture that was the car ride interrogation. It’s a nice lunch and Mitch thinks it might have been worth the pain because damn was that sushi delicious. 

 

When Willy drops him back off at his car, he says, “Seriously Mitch, at least hang out with him.” 

 

“I will,” Mitch says with a smile. He intends to, at the very least, ask Zach to hang out.

  
  


***

 

As it turns out, Mitch doesn’t even need to ask Zach to hang out because Zach asks him after practice the next day. They hit the deli on the way to Zach's place and then head back to his. Once they're all set up on Zach’s couch, Zach gives him a long, searching look. 

 

“I know you like someone on the team,” he says, rather abruptly. 

 

“Um… what brought this about.”

 

“I just noticed you looked a little sad and I may have heard you talking to Willy about it.”

 

“Fucking Willy,” Mitch sighs.

 

“I can help you.”  

 

“Please don’t.” 

 

“I’m going to help. What’s your plan?” 

 

“I don’t really have one right now. He's kind of out of my league.”

 

“Don't sell yourself short, Mitchy. You are a great guy. You should try asking them out.”

 

“Hey Zach, wanna go to the movies later?”

 

“That’s great practice! I know you’re not actually asking me but you know, I have been wanting to see Coco. I know it’s a kids movie but...” Zach shrugs. 

 

Mitch smiles. “Not going to lie, I really want to see it too. I love Disney movies.” 

 

Zach smiles, wide and bright and man would Mitch do anything to see him smile like that all the time.

 

Mitch drives them to the movies. He buys their tickets, a bucket of popcorn, everything. It should be pretty obvious Mitch is trying to make this a date but when he puts his arm on the arm rest, palm facing up, Zach doesn't take the bait. 

 

After, when Mitch drops Zach back off, he says, “This was fun, we should do it again some time.”

 

“Yeah,” Zach replies. “I liked hanging out. We haven't really since we stopped being roomies.” 

 

“Yeah…” Mitch trails off as Zach opens his door. “See you tomorrow at practice.”

 

“See you tomorrow.” 

 

Mitch leans back in his seat and pulls out his phone. He starts a group chat with Willy and Auston.

 

_ Mitch: Took Zach to the movies! It was date-like but he didn't get it was a date _

 

_ Auston: proud of you bud. _

 

_ Willy: that's a start.  _

  
  


***

 

Later that week, Mitch skates up to Zach at practice. 

 

“You know what’s the best part of my life? It’s the beginning of this sentence.” 

 

“It? Mitchy that doesn’t make sense. Please don’t use that pick up line on the guy you like.”

 

Mitch groans. “I'm trying.”

 

“Maybe you should try something else. This one is not good and most pick up lines are pretty dumb.”

 

“What about this one? Kiss me if I'm wrong but dinosaurs still exist.”

 

Zach shakes his head. Mitch puts a hand on his shoulder.

 

“This one? Let's commit the perfect crime. I'll steal your heart, you steal mine.”

 

Zach laughs, loud and bright so Mitch keeps going.

 

“Are you an alien? You just abducted my heart.”

 

Zach laughs even harder so Mitch keeps feeding him lines until they're both laughing so hard there are tears in their eyes and Babs yells at them to pay attention or they're getting bag skated. 

 

Flirting seems to be going okay. He's making Zach laugh and even if Zach though the first one wasn't for him, he has to see what Mitch is doing, with the arm touching and everything. He leaves practice feeling happy and more excited than he's been in a long time. 

 

***   
  


With the success of Project Flirt, Mitch decides to try asking Zach out for dinner, like on another date. Maybe this time he’ll get his message across. He corners Zach after practice and says, “A new fancy burger place just opened by me, do you want check it out with me for dinner tonight?”

 

“Sure Mitchy! Sounds great. I've been craving a good burger.” 

 

“Meet me at mine at 7:00?” Mitch smiles. 

  
  


“Sounds good.”

 

Zach arrives at Mitch’s a little earlier than 7:00 because he’s compulsively early for everything. Mitch answers the door as he's finishing buttoning his shirt. He'd opted for a button down rolled up to the elbows and jeans. It looks date-like but still casual. Zach is in an ever-so-slightly too tight black t-shirt and he just looks really unfairly hot. How is Mitch supposed to function?

 

They walk to the restaurant and Mitch keeps brushing his hand against the back of Zach’s as they walk. It's nice and Mitch thinks maybe Zach is starting to get it since he doesn't flinch or put space between them. Mitch can't help but grin so wide his face hurts. He really, really likes Zach and he's taking him on a date. It's going to be great. They get to restaurant a little before they're reservation so they have to wait a couple minutes for their table to be cleared. It's quiet but not uncomfortable. When they finally get seated, the table is kind of small for two hockey sized guys but not small enough that they have to be touching so Mitch leaves a little space. Zach looks up from his menu and smiles at him.

 

“These burgers sound great. Which one are you thinking of?” He asks. 

 

“I think I'm going with the cheddar stuffed burger with a fried egg and jalapeños.” 

 

“That sounds delicious. I'm getting the bison burger with sauteed mushrooms and onions.”

 

“Oh, yum! Wanna split them?” 

 

“Yeah, sure!” Zach says with enthusiasm. Mitch thinks this place was a great idea. He tangles their ankles together. Again, Zach doesn't move away so maybe, just maybe, Zach is getting the picture. 

 

They chat companionably until dinner comes and are mostly quiet while they eat. The food is as good as promised and they each eat half their burger and switch. 

 

After they finish eating, Zach looks up from his plate and says, “This would be a great place to take Auston on a first date.”

 

Mitch almost chokes on the sip of his beer he was just taking. “What do you mean take Auston on a first date?”

 

“Isn’t that who you like?”

 

“No! We're just friends!” Mitch says, letting out a slightly startled laugh. He doesn't know how to tell Zach that this WAS a date so he lets it go. He’ll have to go back to the drawing board. 

 

They walk back to Mitch’s place, but this time their silence is awkward. Mitch leave Zach at his car and walks up to his apartment. He texts Auston.

 

_ So he still didn't get it. I took him on 2 literal dates and he still didn't get it. _

 

_ You're just going to have to tell him bud. Only way he's going to get it. _

 

Mitch sighs forlornly. Actually saying the words is hard and he's not really sure how to do it.

 

_ What if I just kiss him instead?  _

 

_ I mean that would work but like use your words  _

 

_ Ugh fine whatever  _

 

Mitch sighs. He puts on some shitty movie and let's himself drift and try not to think about Zach for a while.

 

***

 

A week later, Mitch invites Zach over for video games and some TV. They play video games for a while, Mitch chirping Zach or feeding him cheesy pick up lines again and Zach dishes right back. He's definitely flirting back and Mitch has hope. He's… well, he's really happy and he's having a good time. After their done with games they put on a movie. Mitch slowly finds himself leaning into Zach’s space. It's comfortable and he's happy and just maybe Zach is finally starting to pick up what Mitch is laying down. 

 

As the credits start to roll, Mitch leans out of Zach's space for a moment and says, “Zach, can I…” and he leans in. And of course. Of fucking course, Zach’s phone rings. He pulls it out and sighs.

 

“It's my literary agent. I have to take this and it's probably going to be a long call. Sorry I couldn't help you with any dating advice today.”

 

Mitch sighs heavily. “Good luck with your call,” he calls out just as Zach starts to answer his phone. Zach shoves his feet in his shoes and just like that, he's gone. 

 

And that's it. Mitch is so done. So done with trying to get Zach to guess. He's literally tried (and failed thanks to a phone call, failed) at kissing Zach. Nothing seems to be working. 

 

Mitch texts the group chat. 

 

_ Mitch: Tried to kiss him didn't go well. _

 

_ Willy: sorry, that really sucks. _

 

_ Auston: do you want me to come over? _

 

_ Mitch: nah, I think I need to wallow a bit. _

  
  


He sits and stews in it for like an hour before he can't anymore. Mitch isn't really a sit around and wait guy and he's tried literally everything he can think of so he decides to literally write it on a cake. He goes to the grocery store and gets boxed cake mix, premade icing, those little squeeze tubes of icing for writing at the grocery store and just, bakes Zach a Feelings Cake. It bakes lopsided and one side is higher than the other but it's fine. He ices it in white and writes “I like you!” on it in blue icing. His handwriting is messy at the best of times so it… doesn't look great but you can definitely read it so it's fine.  He packs it up and drives to Zach’s place

 

Zach opens the door. “Oh, hi Mitch. It's late what are you doing here?”

 

“I baked a cake,” he says as he hands it to Zach. 

 

“Did you want me to go with you while you deliver it? It's very direct. I like it.”

 

Mitch groans. “Zach, I know you're like really smart but goddamnit are you an idiot sometimes.” Zach's eyebrows knit together, clearly confused and Mitch has to groan again. “Read! The! Cake! Zach!” 

 

“It says I like you.”

 

“Yes. And who did I bring this cake to?”

 

“Me, but that's not…” He trails off as Mitch takes the cake back and pushes past Zach into the house. He sets the cake down on the coffee table, and walks back over to Zach who is standing on the door gaping, realization dawning on his face.

 

“Oh,” Zach says.

 

“Yes, oh,” Mitch replies as he walks back to where Zach is still standing in the open door. He pulls the door closed. 

 

“I…” 

 

“You what?” Mitch smirks. 

 

“I like you too.” 

 

“Okay, good.” And he leans in and kisses Zach right there, up against the door. 

**Author's Note:**

> To my very dear friend Ki, I know the prompt was technically Zach POV but I couldn't help but write Mitch baking a damn feelings cake. I hope you like it anyway. 
> 
> So here's a little about what Zach is doing...
> 
> Zach is pining WAY WORSE than Mitch. He complains about it Connor Brown literally every day.  
> Here is conversation between Zach and Connor:
> 
> Zach: It doesn't matter if I like him. I'm going to help him get his dream guy.  
> Connor: I'm pretty sure he likes you. He has taken you on literally two dates already and invited you to his house tomorrow.  
> Zach: No, he likes someone else on the team. We're going to strategies tomorrow.  
> Connor: Literally, two dates. He took you to the movies. He took you out for fancy burgers. You literally shared burgers and played footsie under the table. He drops cheesy pick up lines on you every day.  
> Zach: He was just practicing for his real guy.  
> Connor: Groans in frustration and texts Willy _How is he this oblivious?_


End file.
